With all of the recent news about the Olympus OM-D, you’d think that the manufacturer would be planning to release more shooters from the same line; if not to take advantage of all the publicity, at least to just keep the momentum going.

The E-PL3 cameras, which are a part of Olympus’s PEN line.

However, this won’t be the case. This is what an Olympus spokesperson made very clear at the European launch of the EM-5.

Olympus Japan’s Toshiyuki Terada said:

“Looking at product lifespan, I think the next issue will be a new PEN. We like to see the market feedback, and we always look to see the next camera in the marketplace.”

The manufacturer dubs the PEN series as “not a compact and not an SLR” for two reasons. First of all, the cameras from this line are mirrorless, so they boast a size similar to that of compact cameras. Secondly, these shooters have a sensor size equivalent to that of Micro Four Thirds systems and interchangeable lenses to ensure DSLR quality and flexibility. Hence, the fusion of these features gives you the PEN.